The image on the light screen faded, and new lines of text appeared:
[Stellaron Hunter · Kafka and Stellaron Hunter · Silver Wolf have arrived on Jarilo-VI.]
[Relying on a word-of-power technique, they controlled the Silvermane Guard Intelligence Officer, Pela. Following the script of "the Slave of Fate," Elio, they proceeded step-by-step into the Old Belobog History and Culture Museum and opened the secret door, left behind in Herta's redesign, that leads to the Stellaron Energy Hub.]
[They intended to take the Stellaron buried deep beneath Alexandra Square, but the trouble-saddled Herta diverted her attention to activate a puppet that had long been placed in the Old Belobog Administrative District, temporarily intercepting the Stellaron Hunters.]
[Facing Herta's threat, the Stellaron Hunters remained calm and unhurried, revealing a prophecy obtained from "Fate" by Elio....]
[Now, it is Herta's turn to make a choice—arrest these interstellar thieves without mercy, or trust them slightly, allowing them to take the Stellaron while she goes to find the Lord Ravager being suppressed beneath the Sword of Salvation?]
Reading the text on the screen, Ron rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a strange feeling washing over him.
Truthfully, he hadn't even noticed Phantylia's presence on Jarilo-VI.
During the simulation's battle against the Antimatter Legion, whether it was the initially bombastic [Burning Wind], the strategically cunning [Star Howler], or [Iron Tomb] who ultimately shattered Jarilo-VI's defenses, all three Lord Ravagers had left an extremely deep impression on Ron.
But [Phantylia]—this one hadn't made a single move, had not participated in the battle at all. During the few moments Ron spent as an Aeon, the vast majority of his attention was on dealing with the other Aeons; he had completely failed to notice Phantylia's existence.
Not only did she appear out of thin air, but she was even suppressed by the holy sword he had casually left behind... How exactly did she end up being suppressed there?
Ron was baffled, completely unable to understand why Phantylia had accompanied the Antimatter Legion's grand army but never showed herself.
He didn't doubt the Stellaron Hunters were telling the truth. After all, since the Stellaron Hunters were in motion, Elio's script was surely in play, making their words highly credible.
Furthermore, the recent developments were also very strange. Ron was certain that the Path philosophy he left behind in the simulation was not that extreme. The conflict and schism between the extreme and moderate factions were bizarre to the point of being incomprehensible.
Only a Lord Ravager like Phantylia, who wields the authority of [Destruction] within civilization itself, could have the ability to incite countless Pathstriders of [Salvation], causing them, who had always been righteous and honorable, to turn on each other...
But then again... when exactly did Phantylia appear?
Ron thought about it, but he really couldn't figure out why this particular Lord Ravager had been lurking on the fringes the whole time, even managing to survive until now, only to be discovered because she was affecting the internals of the "Sword of Salvation." He could only toss the question aside and continue to watch the simulation on the light screen with relish.
His simulated self was already dead. Even if he figured it out, he couldn't influence the subsequent plot. Why waste time thinking so much?
In any case, Ron had already done everything he could. His simulated self had fought to the death, thoroughly accomplishing what he set out to do...
Now it was just a mere Phantylia. Ron believed Herta could resolve it with ease.
As a dual-Path Emanator of [Erudition] and [Salvation], Herta's own strength was already at the top tier of Emanators. Add to that the fact that Phantylia had been ganged up on by two Arbiter-Generals on the Xianzhou Luofu two years prior; she probably hadn't recovered much of her strength yet. She wasn't that strong to begin with...
A troublesome matter like this? Just let Herta handle it!
With the mindset of a boss washing his hands of a problem, Ron watched the light screen before him with a hint of anticipation, as if watching a movie...
The text on the screen faded away, and a new scene appeared:
"Why can't I have it all?"
Facing the calm and unperturbed Kafka, Herta's gloomy expression suddenly cleared, returning to her usual calm, arrogant, and in-control demeanor.
"The Stellaron can remain in my hands, and I can also take care of the Lord Ravager suppressed under the holy sword..."
She lifted her head slightly. "In the time I've been toying with you, I have already controlled another puppet and sent it to the Round Table Hall—"
"The Sword of Salvation is right before my eyes. I don't understand why I should give up the Stellaron and hand it over to you."
"I don't know either." Kafka shrugged honestly. "But after Elio's script reached this point, there were only these two possibilities."
She gave a slight smile. "I suppose it might be because the esteemed Madam Herta has always been a very kind person?"
Watching the seemingly confident Kafka, Herta's face remained placid, but a flash of brilliant gold suddenly flickered in her eyes.
The next moment, she raised her head proudly and snapped her fingers lightly—
In an instant, the entirety of New Belobog went "dark"... The previously ceaseless supply of energy was suddenly cut off. The sound of footsteps echoed as another Herta puppet walked down the stairs, holding a jar the size of a human head.
On the transparent jar, dense, dark purple patterns swirled. A refined Seed of a Star was pulsing with a brilliant golden stellar radiance, but it was faintly tinged with a haze of deep purple, making it look slightly sinister.
Evidently... Kafka had not been lying.
This Stellaron had been steeped in the power of the Path of [The Destruction]. Antimatter was clinging to its surface, about to warp the Stellaron, which Ron had already stabilized, into a twisted mockery.
This was indeed the power of a Lord Ravager... Lord Ravager · [Phantylia] had been trying to find a vessel to help her escape the shell of Destruction. On the Xianzhou Luofu, she had used a Stellaron to usurp the newly sprouting Ambrosial Arbor, using the Arbor as a body to leverage the power of [Abundance].
And now, she clearly had an even more wondrous idea: to rely on the Stellaron as a core and directly usurp the entirety of New Belobog...
It had to be said, this was certainly feasible. After Ron had fully connected the Stellaron Energy Hub to every single block of New Belobog, a dense network of conduits linked the entire city together.
The core was precisely the Stellaron, which existed as an infinite power source.
This design was not changed even when Herta later repaired New Belobog, because the energy conduit network laid by Ron was indeed perfect, arguably one of the best designs for a cosmic metropolis like New Belobog. The endless energy was like blood being pumped through New Belobog, driving the entire city to operate at full capacity.
Although Herta had previously considered replacing a dangerous power source like the Stellaron with a safer alternative as the energy hub's core, she had never made up her mind...
But now was the time to decide.
"Be grateful," Herta snapped her fingers, and the contained Stellaron appeared in Kafka's hands. "I will allow you to take the Stellaron, and I will not pursue your trespassing in New Belobog... but I have one condition."
Kafka nodded lightly. "I'm all ears."
"Have that little girl leave behind an aether editing interface. From now on, every time you go on a mission, you will show me the script written by the 'Slave of Fate'."
Herta's eyes were sharp. It was clear she was being very serious now.
"Agree to my terms, and you can leave right now."
"Alright."
Kafka's response was crisp, as if she had expected this all along.
"Thank you. You're a good person, Madam Herta."
She turned, the black coat she wore swishing lightly. Without a moment's hesitation, she turned to leave with the contained Stellaron.
Beside her, Silver Wolf was also very compliant, tapping away on her aetheric screen and leaving behind a Q-style avatar of herself as a doodle.
Herta watched the two Stellaron Hunters depart, closing her eyes with a hint of fatigue.
In that instant, both of her puppets fell silent... She had gone offline.
And at the same time, on the other side...
The colossal Sword of Salvation pierced the heavens. Standing beneath the giant blade, Herta was finally able to focus her entire mind here, on the enemy she was about to face.
The current New Belobog was slowly sinking into night. Because she had removed the Stellaron, the entire city's power supply had ceased. The originally well-planned streetlights were all extinguished. The Round Table Hall also fell into darkness, and the surrounding city districts were almost devoid of light.
But the area before Herta was as bright as day—the Sword of Salvation that Ron had plunged into the ground constantly pulsed with a blazing white holy light, illuminating everything around it.
Herta elegantly held her hammer, walking step by step toward the giant holy sword. A speck of golden light flickered in her pupils, growing from a dim spark to a bright glow, and finally into a burning golden flame.
"Lord Ravager... [Phantylia], is it?"
She walked and murmured to herself:
"That's what the Xianzhou Alliance calls you... I hear you very much enjoy the destruction of the 'spirit'—"
"Internal conflict within a faith system, the collapse of spiritual pillars, the crumbling of trust within a civilization, and the complete abandonment of hope. These are the situations that are certain to occur in a world destroyed at your hands."
"Not long ago, you attempted to incite destruction on the Xianzhou Luofu, and because of you, the Luofu fell into internal turmoil. It sounds so very similar to the current situation in New Belobog..."
"But you won't get the chance."
Herta spoke. The area around her was clearly empty, with nothing but the Sword of Salvation. Yet she pointed a finger, aiming at the empty air to the side of the holy sword—
Then, she swung her hammer with all her might!
A brilliant ice flower exploded at that moment. As the dazzling ice dust scattered, a faint, ghastly green, ethereal spirit flame flew out from thin air, from which came a teeth-grinding voice:
"Damn it... how did you discover me?"
"Discover you?" Herta brushed back her long hair. "You hid yourself very well. I didn't discover you, Phantylia."
"You didn't discover me? Then how could you possibly—"
"Why is it not possible? I haven't used this power for so long, it seems everyone has forgotten that I am an Emanator of [Salvation]..."
Herta said, a slight curve appearing on her lips.
"The Stellaron Hunters were like this, thinking that was how the plot was written in their script, and that I only let them go because I was under the control of 'Fate'."
"And you are the same, thinking that as long as you hide in this ethereal and illusory state, no one will discover you, not even me..."
The blazing golden flame in her eyes shone ever brighter, a hint of playfulness mixed within it:
"But in reality, I simply fixed the 'future' I wanted."
"Ron bestowed upon me a Divine Authority, allowing me to fix the 'future' I desire... I didn't discover you. I just hoped that the hammer I swung would be able to smash you."
She threw up her hands. "And so, you were smashed out by me. Well? Do you like this ending?"
"Ending?" Phantylia's voice trembled slightly, it was unclear whether from anger or fear.
"You can't stop me, you lapdog of [Salvation]... Don't think for a second that you've already won!"
"But I have already won."
Herta shrugged, lifting her hammer with some effort.
"Now, how I deal with you is entirely up to my mood."
"And today... I am in a very bad mood."
The image on the light screen faded, and new lines of text appeared upon it:
[Herta killed the Lord Ravager · [Phantylia]. Her soul fire was extinguished before the Sword of Salvation, her life force completely gone.]
[The Path of [The Destruction], has sundered.]